With My Last Breath
by alice-in-hollywoodland
Summary: In which Madge Undersee wins the 72nd Annual Hunger Games, changing Katniss Everdeen's life forever. — Madge/Katniss, Peeta/Katniss, AU.
1. Prologue

(an: This is my first THG fanfiction and I'm very excited. It's a long story that starts after the 72nd Hunger Games and will continue through the 74th Hunger Games. At its core, it is about a love triangle, but it has plot other than just that. There's also a touch of Hayffie.)

(an2: Thank you so much for clicking on this story and I hope you enjoy.)

-::-

 ** _With My Last Breath_**

-::-

(Prologue: The 72nd Annual Hunger Games)

-::-

On a train speeding towards the Capitol, Madge Undersee accidentally pricked her finger on her mockingjay pin as she removed it from her powder blue blouse. She hissed through her teeth as she fumbled to close it.

"They might consider that a weapon," quipped her district partner, the Seam's one and only Gale Hawthorne. He seemed far too calm about being sent off to certain death, in her opinion.

"They'll allow it," Madge crisply said as she set it on her lap.

Gale cocked his head to the side but did not ask her to explain her reasoning. That was for the best. Madge was not yet over the way her already-ill mother shattered into a thousand pieces in front of her only minutes ago during their goodbyes. Madge had no desire to discuss the past with a boy she hardly knew.

"So, uh, this sucks," said Gale.

Madge frowned. "It sucks worse for the people we left behind. Our parents, Katniss—"

Gale irately snapped, "Katniss?"

"We sit together at lunch every day," said Madge, flashing an innocent smile. It calmed Gale slightly. "I bet she visited you."

"Yeah," he grunted. "She promised to take care of Posy and Vick and Rory."

"That was kind of her," Madge commented, looking oddly uncomfortable.

Gale shrugged. "I'd take care of Prim if she was in my shoes. That's what family does."

Her sapphire eyes suddenly lit up. Gale never knew what to make of Madge Undersee.

"So…" Madge bit her lower lip, uncertain if she should talk or not. "So she's family to you?"

Gale huffed and stated coldly, "Obviously. Isn't she your best friend or something?"

"I just always assumed you were in love with her," said Madge.

Gale stood up and strode away. Madge turned her gaze to the blurry, emerald forest she could see outside of the window.

-::-

A few hours before mandatory viewing began, Katniss was perched atop a tree in the woods. She abandoned hunting after realizing it reminded her too much of Gale and what she had to witness later today. Instead, she climbed a tree to think.

She ended up just listening to the birds.

That was what she was doing now; she absorbed herself in the mockingjay song.

Uneasily, she hummed a few notes. Her father was bolder about it, but it worked. All the birds eagerly jumped at the chance to mimic her small song.

She wanted to stay in this tree forever, humming soft notes and listening to the trill of birds repeating it back to her. But the sun persisted in setting, and so she made herself descend.

It was time to watch the Tribute Parade.

Thirty minutes later, Katniss stood by herself, hanging behind most of the crowd. She looked up at the huge screen as the Hunger Games flickered on and illuminated the mostly dark Town Square.

District 1 rolled into sight first. They received loud cheers from the Capitolian crowds. The tributes' names appear, as they always do. Ruby and Sheen. They were dripping with red gemstones and Ruby's brunette hair was adorned with crimson feathers.

District 2 came next. Caius and Cassia. They wore plain, speckled grey outfits, but their muscles and severe expressions made them stand out as if they were wearing blinking lights.

District 3 sped by. The scrawny kids looked half-broken in their metallic outfits.

District 4 was clearly career this year. Siren and Seamus ate up the crowd in their billowy seafoam hued garments.

District 5's boy looked petrified. Katniss only noticed the girl by the name of River because she was incredibly beautiful, more so than the girl from 1, but she was not as beautiful as Madge.

District 6 received a lukewarm reception.

District 7 had tributes who looked like they could kill. The boy, Aspen, was burly as could be. The girl, Conifer, looked like she could easily snap Madge in half and give Gale a run for his money in hand-to-hand combat.

"You okay?" asked Prim's soft voice.

Katniss looked down. "How did you find me?"

Prim smiled coyly and shrugged.

"I'm just special that way." She grinned and Katniss's heart briefly warmed.

By the time Katniss looked back up, District 10 was featured. Cody and Marley.

District 11 had two young kids who couldn't be more than fourteen. They looked starving, a bitter irony since they came from the district that produced food.

Katniss held her breath as she waited for Gale and Madge. She finally could breathe again when they rolled into sight. Prim covered her mouth with both of her hands. They were both stark naked save for coal dust. Upon closer inspection, Madge had a black bandeau and small scarf wrapped around her like a skirt and Gale had a pitch black loincloth for his modesty.

His expression made Katniss laugh. She felt like a terrible person for it, and it _hurt_ to think about how he would be awkwardly laughing right beside her if it were anyone else up there.

Katniss silenced herself and tried to pay attention.

-::-

The next day, Katniss sat alone at lunch for the first time since she was little. She _did_ notice how much she ached without Gale, but she never really knew how much of a friend Madge was. To tell the truth, Katniss never understood why the wealthiest and most important girl in _town_ would sit with a Seam rat during lunch but she never minded the company. She just was not foolish enough to think Madge was a _real_ friend.

But she was. She _was_ , and Katniss only realized it now.

Suddenly, someone sat down across from Katniss. He was breathing heavily, clearly worked up for some reason. She lifted her eyes from her lunch and saw Peeta Mellark. Her heart started to uncomfortably pound, the fear she felt when she encountered wild dogs sending a surge of acid through her blood.

She. Did. Not. Want. To. Talk. To. Him.

Ever since he threw her that bread, she watched him from afar. Emphasis on _afar_.

"I saw you were alone and I just thought maybe it was hard without Gale and Madge," Peeta blurted out, stumbling over his words as he rushed to spill them. "They're your friends and I just thought maybe you needed someone and—" He suddenly stood up. "I bet you don't want me around. I—I shouldn't have done this. I'll see you around."

Katniss considered telling him to stay, but he had sped off to the other side of the cafeteria before she could. It was for the best. She knew he was probably over there explaining to all the townie kids that he _pitied_ her.

She did not need pity.

-::-

The next viewing was for Interview Night. Katniss walked Prim to the Town Square. They stood in the cold night air and Katniss stared at the sparkling stars above for a few moments before she looked at the screen. It would be like any night.

The training scores were displayed. Gale got a ten, and Madge a six. Those were not bad scores, especially for District 12. Katniss hated herself for beginning to have hope.

"Madge Undersee!" Caesar announced, finally reaching Madge and Gale.

She walked out, gliding easily and gracefully. Katniss was fairly impressed by how she could walk in those ridiculous shoes. Madge sat down and shook hands with Caesar. He grinned at the gesture he had not received all night.

Katniss did not understand her feelings about Madge being dressed up like a doll in a barely-there light pink dress. It was _wrong_.

"Such a polite girl!" Caesar remarked and the crowd cheered. "So, Madge, what's your favorite thing about the Capitol so far?"

"The fashion and perfume," said Madge, a huskiness in her voice that Katniss had never heard. It struck the Seam girl as the weirdest thing on the planet. Madge was like a mouse; she was not _sexy_. "I just adore the dresses."

She also was never that _vapid_. Katniss felt sick.

"Don't we all?" Caesar flashed that confident smile again. "Alright, let's get to the question I've been waiting for all night. I believe your aunt participated in the Quarter Quell, the year your very own mentor took home the crown."

"Yes," said Madge. She seemed very anxious and uncomfortable now and Katniss clenched her fists from anger. How dare they do that to a sweet, innocent girl?

"She was a very clever tribute. We were all impressed," Caesar commented. Now Madge's cheeks flushed, either from embarrassment or anger. "I'm sure you'll impress us too! An Undersee victor would be such a fun time!"

Katniss's heart lit on fire. She was nauseous now.

"Now, Madge, the storied history of your dignified family aside," said Caesar eagerly, "you are by far the most beautiful girl this year."

If that comment did not put a target on her back, she did not know what else would.

"Thank you," Madge said graciously in the true styling of a politician's daughter. She recovered quite well from the mentions of her aunt, whoever she was.

"You must have a fellow waiting for you at home. Or twenty." He and the crowd laughed and Madge joined in as politely as she could.

Madge waved her hand and giggled. Katniss never heard her ever giggle either. Not once. "I don't, actually, Caesar."

"Don't play coy," he ribbed in a surprisingly good-natured manner. "Anybody back home in 12 have your eye?"

After a long silence, Katniss knew Madge was about to say something risky, or at least go off whatever script she was supposed to follow.

"There… there is this one girl," said Madge, fixing her eyes on the floor of the stage. Her cheeks burned bright pink. "But I never had the guts to ask her out and I don't think she ever saw me as more than a friend, if that. We really just sit together at lunch."

She grimaced, pained by the memories alone. Katniss watched from the Town Square, brow knit, picnic blanket bunched up in her dirty hands. There was no way in Panem Madge meant _her_.

Caesar grinned, pearly teeth glittering in the spotlight. He turned to Madge and said, "Well, she can't refuse you if you come home a victor."

Madge uneasily smiled, not exuding confidence for the first time so far. She did not seem to believe him. Thankfully for the mayor's daughter, the clock ran out that very instant and Gale strode onto the stage.

When he sat down across from Caesar, every muscle in Katniss's body tensed.

"Now, Gale Hawthorne, that ten was impressive!"

He nodded and curtly said, "I expected it."

Katniss narrowed her eyes. That did not sound like her best friend. He must have been given a two-dimensional character to play so that the Capitol could digest him.

Caesar laughed. Gale remained stoic.

"So tell me," Caesar said, "What's your favorite part about the Capitol so far?"

"The food," grunted Gale.

Now _that_ Katniss could believe.

The night dragged on.

When Katniss left the Town Square and returned home, her stomach churning from the thought of her only two friends headed into the Arena tomorrow, Prim tugged on her hand.

"Yeah?" Katniss asked her baby sister.

"You're the girl she talked about," said Prim.

Katniss shot her baby sister a bewildered look, even if she _knew_ the comment about lunchtime was a dead giveaway. "What?"

"Who else would it be?" Prim chirped, turning her palms towards the ceiling. "You're really the only person she talks to."

"I bet she has townie friends," the huntress insisted. "But…"

" _Katniss_ ," said Prim. "I've seen how she looks at you. You just, uh, you're not great at noticing that kinda stuff."

"I… I do sit with her at lunch."

"See!" Prim chirped. "Madge was in love with you along!"

"It doesn't matter now," said Katniss. "I won't be happy no matter who comes home."

Prim's jaw jutted out when she protested, "But you're never happy."

"I might never be happy, but I think it'll be a bit worse when either Gale or Madge is dead. Or _both_. I love them _both_."

Prim sang, "You _loooooooove_ them?"

Katniss rolled her eyes. "Not like that. I don't love anybody like that, but I love them like my best friends, which they _are_."

"One of them will come home. I can feel it," insisted Prim.

"Maybe," Katniss said, afraid of how high her baby sister's hopes were. "We'll just have to wait and see, I guess."

She walked into their tiny house and sat down at the rickety kitchen table.

Prim watched from the ratty, creaking sofa, studying how her sister stared blankly at the chipped wood beneath her olive hands. It went on that way for a disturbing amount of time.

But Prim did not know what to do about it.

-::-

The night before the Hunger Games, Madge paced in the District 12 suite.

"You should sleep," said Haymitch from behind her, sounding surprisingly sober.

"I don't know how I could," Madge replied, turning around. "Do any tributes?"

"Hawthorne is, far as I know," Haymitch retorted with a shrug. "You need anything?"

"That is shockingly kind of you to offer, Mr. Abernathy," said Madge, shaking her head with a tiny smile.

"Oh, shut it, princess," he grumbled.

"Some advice would be nice," admitted Madge.

"Fine, kid," grumpily relented Haymitch. "I've got some advice for you. Stay alive."

Madge smiled at him.

Neither said another word that night.

-::-

The next morning, Madge frantically glanced around the Arena, while the clock loudly counted down. What she saw was very little cover, hardly a hiding place in sight, and a vast, dry desert that made her imagine water sources would be difficult to find.

Nothing but sand and boulders and scruffy greenish bushes.

The cannon fired. Gale ran towards the cornucopia while Madge slowly backed away. She could _not_ lose him when she promised herself she would give him back to Katniss and the little siblings that relied on him.

All Madge did was watch the horrific scene play out in front of her eyes.

Meanwhile, in District 12, Peeta Mellark sat at his desk in school while the teachers played the Mandatory Viewing. The room was shadowy with the lights out.

He watched and tried not to throw up at the sight of the gore.

Peeta usually covered his during the bloodbath, but, this year, for the first time, his eyes were glued to the screen. Yes, he was jealous of Gale. Yes, he was fairly certain Madge was talking about Katniss in her interview. But he wanted them to live more than anything.

He saw Gale grab a bow and escape the bloodbath, bashing a few tributes with his new weapon to clear the way. Gale grabbed Madge around the waist, tossed her over his shoulder, and started running towards the steep incline on one side of the Arena.

Peeta exhaled a soft sigh of relief. He quickly glanced over his shoulder and saw Katniss close her eyes and breathe deeply. She looked beautiful. No. Stop thinking that, Peeta. Madge and Gale were in mortal danger. Maybe they were not his friends, but he felt a weird bond with them since they loved Katniss Everdeen too.

Both Madge and Gale made it to safety. They hid behind a rock formation as the bloodbath cannons finally rang out one by one.

The only time the camera focused on them was when Madge fell into a pit of rattlesnakes. Gale grabbed her and saved her to avoid being bitten.

"Slice them open," whispered Madge as she steadied herself.

"What?" Gale furrowed his brow.

"Dip your arrows in poison. My... my aunt did that." Madge averted her eyes.

Gale did what she suggested. Katniss was amazed by that, since he despised townies.

One night, when the cameras were not focused on the bickering careers, Madge turned to Gale.

"I thought you hated me," she said.

"I do, Undersee," he said, glaring.

"Then why didn't you let me die? You had opportunity," Madge whispered. Gale pursed his lips. "I know you hate talking but _please_ tell me why."

"For Katniss. I want to win, but she'd hate me if I let you die," he said. Madge blushed. "I'm not saying she's in love with you back. I doubt that. But you're her friend as much as I'm her friend, and Katniss is the most important person in my life, other than my mom and siblings."

"Thank you," said Madge.

"Shush. Don't thank me. I still hate you, Undersee, and I'm going to fight to win this thing, but if I have the chance to protect you, I'll protect you. But _only_ for Catnip."

Katniss ran into the woods after that exchange. She stayed there until well past nightfall, fighting not to cry.

The television screen showed the deaths before Madge and Gale would get to see them.

Both tributes from District 3, the boy from 5, both from 6, both from 8, both from 9, both from 11. That was eleven; almost half of the tributes dead within the first hour.

Peeta returned to sketching in his notebook.

-::-

The cameras displayed the Arena during mandatory viewing. They always did. Katniss saw snakes slithering beneath the tall, dried yellow grass. She then noticed the wild animals. Rabbits that Gale could kill, mockingjays perched atop the rock formations.

It was not a natural habitat for the birds. Katniss wondered why they were even up there.

She had to watch every day during the first week of the Games. The boy from District 10 died when one of the snakes bit him. Blood poured from his eyes as he screamed in pain. The cameras all focused on him for the entirety of his death, until his cannon fired.

The careers tortured his district partner Marley to death. It was so horrific that even the strong-stomached Katniss almost threw up. Prim cried all night. Katniss lay awake, worrying that the same thing would happen to Gale or Madge.

She watched her friends whenever the cameras took a glimpse at them. They found a stream with muddy banks and water. It was hidden by rock formations that gave them shelter from the sweltering sun.

Gale spoke only a few words to Madge. She was quieter than Katniss had ever heard her.

They had enough to eat from Gale's snares, and Madge managed to keep their water stocked. The careers bickering and pondering turning on each other got far more attention than those from District 12.

After Marley's death, however, Katniss knew her friends would have to fight.

The gamemakers would not give them a choice.

-::-

The Final Eight. Katniss stood with her arms crossed as the multicolored reporters from the Capitol came to District 12. Mayor Undersee stood with Katniss, and Hazelle, Posy, Vick and Rory were close beside them. The Capitol selected them for the interviews about Madge and Gale.

First, the reporters interviewed Hazelle and briefly spoke to the kids. They got what Katniss was sure would be considered _cute moments_. They spoke to Mayor Undersee next. He looked on the verge of tears, but kept himself together.

Katniss steeled herself. She refused to show weakness.

"Miss Katniss Everdeen, I hear you sit with Madge Undersee at lunch," crooned the woman with a bright pink wig. Katniss's jaw jutted out as she did not speak. "Are you the girl she loves?"

"Maybe," said Katniss. She sounded feeble and hated it. "I might be."

"If you could say anything to Madge Undersee right now, what would it be?" demanded that reporter, shoving a microphone in Katniss's face. It took everything in her not to bat it away.

"I'd say come home…" Katniss hesitated. "Or bring Gale home."

"Could you survive without them?" asked the woman.

"This interview is over." Katniss took a step back.

Thankfully, the Capitol reporters did not pursue her.

-::-

The first of the Final Eight to go was River from District 5. She was hiding in the woods, weaving between the trees, when she ran into Madge kneeling over a stream.

River drew her knife and drew labored breaths. She crept up on Madge and the camera briefly showed the bright blue eyes of the mayor's daughter. Madge turned around and stepped into the stream, hoping she could escape.

Of course, River pursued her. Madge began to run over the slick rocks, sliding as she went. River tripped and grabbed Madge by the knees, pulling her down into the water.

Madge wrestled with her, panicked, and she knocked the knife out of River's hands. River punched Madge in the neck and the mayor's daughter sank deeper into the water. First, River began to drown her. Then Madge seized her by the neck and spun around, pinning her down.

She did not mean to, but River's head smashed against the rocks and she instantly died, blood staining the stream crimson red.

River's cannon fired and Madge rank to the muddy bank.

She curled up on the ground sobbing.

-::-

Katniss watched from the Town Square as mutts attacked the remaining tributes. A group of them pursued Gale, one of them pursued Madge, and the careers had to run from a wave of the snarling creatures with sharp teeth.

Gale shot all of the mutts with his bow and once they all died, he recovered his unbroken arrows. Madge escaped by dodging into the foliage and hiding, gasping for breath.

The careers _almost_ made it, but the boy from 7 and the girl from 4 both had their throats ripped out by the monsters.

Siren and Aspen's cannons fired almost in unison.

Katniss squeezed her eyes shut and dared to hope that either Madge or Gale would continue to survive these horrible Games.

-::-

The next day, Katniss sat at her desk at school while Mandatory Viewing played on the screen. She felt eyes on her today and it made her want to run off to the woods and stay there until the Games ended. Everyone _pitied_ her because they knew she was close to Gale and Madge both. She hated them for it.

The television fixated on Madge, of all things.

She still was hiding after the mutt attack. Then, to stop her from being so boring, a fire began to burn the foliage and dry grass. Madge choked on the smoke as she jumped up and tried to run from the wildfire. It licked at her heels and she screamed, dashing through the burning hot desert, when it burned her arm, melting her jacket into her skin. She began retching at the sight, and that moment let Conifer from 7 catch up to her.

Conifer drew her axe and hacked it Madge's way. Madge managed to dodge by diving onto the ground. The axe thwacked into the burning grass.

Slowly, Madge stood up and grabbed Conifer by the shoulders as she tried to recover her weapon. Madge began to cry again as she shoved Conifer into the fire that rose too high to be realistic. A desert would not burn so ragingly high, higher than a bonfire, higher than a building.

She covered her ears to muffle the agonized screaming as she ran away. Her legs moved on their own accord, smashing against the desert as she ran from the brush fire. Ran right into Gale Hawthorne's chiseled chest.

He grabbed her gently by both arms and held her in place.

Conifer's cannon finally fired.

Four deaths remained. Katniss held her breath again and thought she might faint.

"Madge," said Gale, "it's okay."

"No, it's not!" wailed the blonde. "It'll never be okay again."

Gale refused to release her until she calmed down and sat by the stream with him.

He shared game with her and they ate a sickly lunch.

Mandatory Viewing ended. Katniss could not focus on Geometry or Earth Science to save her life today. Maybe never again.

-::-

In the Town Square, District 12 gathered as the finale began. Madge, Gale, and the two twins from District 2 remained. Peeta knew that the odds were against the tributes from his district. He stole a few glances at Katniss while she glowered at the bright screen.

Brush fire drove the tributes together. They stood in the middle of the desert, surrounded by cacti and dusty rocks.

Gale drew his bow and pointed it at Caius. It dripped with the rattlesnake venom. Cassia began to throw knives at him and he shoved Madge towards a boulder. The mayor's daughter did not have to be told twice to hide.

Gale hit Caius in the arm with his poisoned arrow. Caius stumbled backwards, snarling from the pain. Cassia dashed forward, slicing her knife into Gale's arm. He took several steps backwards. He fired one arrow right before one of Cassia's knives hit his shoulder. It punctured Cassia right through the eye, and she collapsed onto the ground.

Cassia's cannon fired, and, in a fit of rage, her brother Caius briefly recovered from his injury, ran forward, bellowing in anger and grief, and skewered Gale with his sword. The hunter boy bellowed in agony as Caius stood over his limp body.

"You killed my sister. This'll hurt," he growled with a sneer. "I want it to hurt. No getting out of this easy, Twelve."

He stomped his foot down, breaking Gale's hand, and ran off into the desert.

Madge emerged from her hiding place and vaulted over the boulder. She knelt at Gale's side and gently took his hurt hand in hers.

"You're going to be okay," she insisted, despite the fact that he lay in a puddle of his own blood, his breathing labored. "You're going to be okay."

"Was Katniss the girl you mentioned in the interview?" asked Gale.

Madge set her hand on his chest. "Please don't talk. Please. I can still save you. Haymitch might send—"

Gale snarled, "Was. Katniss. The. Girl?"

Madge squeezed her eyes shut. "Yes," she whispered.

Gale laughed, which turned into a wet cough. Madge blanched.

"Good luck with her," he said, shaking his head. "She's a little emotionally obtuse."

"I noticed," Madge said softly.

"But you're not half bad for a townie. I give you permission to date Katniss."

Madge mirthlessly laughed. "Why do I need _your_ permission?"

"Because me and Catnip look out for each other. That's why," said Gale. "She's like my sister and any guy—or girl—better damned ask for permission to date my sister."

Madge softly remarked, "Well, then, thank you for your permission, Mr. Hawthorne."

 _But I think Katniss will be the one to decide,_ Madge thought.

"The poison from my arrow should kill Caius. You just need to run as fast as you can and hide until he's dead."

Madge whispered, "Oh… okay."

They lingered in silence for a long while.

At last, Madge asked the cold, dying boy lying before her, "Gale, what're you doing?"

Gale opened his eyes, then closed them again.

He finally said, "I'm listening to the birds."

Madge pressed her palm against her pin and listened with him. It took her a moment to tune out her thoughts, but at last her ears latched onto the mockingjay song.

"Beautiful," Madge quietly remarked. "It's beautiful."

"Yeah," murmured the hunter boy.

At that exact moment, Gale Hawthorne's cannon fired and the startled mockingjays vacated their perches in a raucous flutter of wings.

Madge watched them fly overhead as the tears dripped from her sapphire eyes.

-::-

On a train speeding towards District 12, Madge Undersee accidentally pricked her finger on her mockingjay pin as she removed it from her pink silk blouse. She hissed through her teeth as she fumbled to close it.

The blurry scene outside of the train window began to clarify, revealing the trainyard of coal shipments, and, slowly, the locomotive stopped.

She was home at last.


	2. Awkward Moments

(Chapter One: Awkward Moments)

-::-

The day after the Closing Ceremonies, Katniss hid in the woods, perched in the highest branches of a tree. No one could force her to be inside of the fence and she intended to take full advantage of that.

She blinked several times to refocus her glazed eyes and studied the forest beneath her. She thought about how much more of it needed to be covered today and then looked up at the orange sky. Katniss had been here since morning and now she would go home with only a single foolhardy squirrel in her game bag. If there were snares, she probably would have time to check them, but she did not think she would ever set a single one up again. Any memory of Gale would be too painful. Katniss would just have to catch twice as much in order to provide for their two families.

All she did today was think, and think, and think. About Gale and how to care for his family, about Madge and what on Earth she was supposed to say when she returned from the Capitol, about going home and getting even more uncouth stares on the street.

Gale. Pain. Suffering. Loss of a limb. Hunting alone. Four more mouths to feed.

Madge. Confusion. Uncertainty. Loss of a friend. Being with someone else. Needing to feed six mouths and not having an ounce of energy left to contemplate romance.

Finally, she gave up on her fantasies of getting anything done today, nimbly climbed down the tree and ducked under the fence. She wiped sweat from her brow as she walked towards her house in the Seam. On her way, she considered visiting Hazelle, Rory, Vick and Posy but she did not have the courage to face Gale's family—and not enough in her bag to feed them.

Katniss walked past the rusty chain link fence and across the yellowed grass of a lawn. She opened the creaky door—the lock broke before she was even born—and sat down at the table. At least she graduated from staring blankly at the treetops to staring blankly at the peeling wallpaper.

She was so consumed by her thoughts that she did not hear Prim come inside from Lady's evening feeding.

"Are you okay, Katniss?" Prim asked, and her sister flinched.

"Yes," Katniss grunted, immediately feeling a pang of remorse for being so short with Prim.

Primrose prodded, "I know you must be grieving and I am too. But I know I can't feel it like you do since you were even closer than me with Gale, but I can talk if you want. And I know too that you have to be nervous about Madge coming home."

"I don't have that many emotions," said Katniss, shaking her head.

Prim sighed; she knew this was a hopeless cause.

-::-

The next day, Madge stepped off of the train and onto the platform. Her District received her with a warmer welcome than she expected. No one in District 12 liked the Hunger Games or admired the victors—especially not their own Haymitch Abernathy—but she guessed they liked seeing one of their own come home safely. Who would not?

Her dad pulled her into a tight hug and the cameras all swiveled to capture this warm and fuzzy moment. It would make people forget how cruel the Games were, Madge supposed.

Once he released her, she walked down the steps in a daze, her dad nearby. She answered a few questions thrown at her from the Capitol reporters on her way but did not keep track of the exact wording. She was too focused on walking as far away from the nightmare as she could get.

The first thing she distinctly heard emerge from the buzzing was Effie calling out, "Oh, there she is!" with a girlish giggle.

"Where who—?" Madge began to ask, but then she saw Katniss Everdeen and her family. Madge stood mute and Prim nudged Katniss two steps forward. Then another two steps. And another, until Prim's small hands were pressed flat on Katniss's back trying to edge the much stronger girl forward. And Madge could not move; she was frozen in place.

"Well, don't be so shy!" Effie chirped.

Katniss now stood inches from Madge and they locked eyes. It was at that moment that they were certain things would never be the same. Madge took the prompting from the frantic television directors and hugged Katniss with as much might as she could muster. It was unlike the two of them but it was far better than the kissing that the Capitol was pushing for.

Madge smelled the woods and coal; Katniss smelled Capitol perfumes.

Slowly, they stepped apart.

"Welcome home!" Prim said brightly, breaking the awkward silence and batting her big blue eyes at one of the cameras. Two more moved to focus on the small blonde girl.

Madge could only weakly smile.

-::-

The moment Madge and her father reached the doorstep, he stopped her.

"You can live at home, or pack up just yet," said Mayor Undersee. He sounded hopeful and Madge did not want to hurt him, but she still shook her head.

"I want to live in the Victor's Village. After everything I've been through, I think I at least deserve a new house. But you can visit and I'll visit you. You can't get rid of me that easily."

"You do understand that I never want to let you out of my sight again."

"Of course. But, dad, you do understand that I'm still trying to figure things out."

"Yes. I do," he said.

"I'm going to check on mom." Madge opened the door and walked inside. The home that always seemed unnecessary and uncomfortably lavish to her seems downright simple compared to the Capitol and it smelled like paradise compared to the lingering scent of the Arena.

She breathed in the scent of home, which soothed her, but not enough to make her reconsider moving to the Victor's Village. Madge ran up the stairs and spent the rest of the afternoon reacclimating to her family.

It broke her heart to leave, but she packed up and headed to the door as the sun began to set. Her dad followed her.

"I'll help you carry those things and settle you in."

"Okay," Madge agreed, not one to deter him _that_ much.

They walked together lugging the two suitcases, walking across the crunchy gravel to the Victor's Village. As they walked, her dad told her about anything that had gone on at home. Not much, apparently.

"Do you need any advice about talking to that girl?" he said, which Madge was waiting for.

"I wouldn't know where to begin… I don't think she's interested and I need to just respect that," Madge said.

"Well, the steps to wooing a lady are simple."

"Dad."

"Madge, let me finish. First, you ask her parents' permission to court her. Then, you come to call at her house, preferably bringing a small gift. Next, you escort her on a predetermined activity outside of the home. After that, you continue the dating process."

"That's…" Madge decided not to explain how absurd that was in relation to Katniss Everdeen. "That's good advice, dad. Thank you."

"It's no problem," he replied, smiling at her as they walked through the tall, ominous gates of the Victor's Village.

Madge fumbled in her pocket for the keys to her new house, unlocked it, and stepped inside.

-::-

Peeta Mellark missed Madge's homecoming because he had to run the shop and make sure everything on the list was baked. His father was giving out free treats and his brothers wanted to be part of the drunken revelry. His mother went with the three of them. Today, they gave him the same job during a second round of festivities and he happily volunteered.

No one asked why. Maybe they knew.

He was anxious about Katniss and Madge and how he felt about the former girl. Mostly, he just loathed himself for not telling Katniss how he felt earlier. He wished he could have made a grand gesture like Madge, but, knowing Katniss, she probably would hate that. Maybe he should have just asked her out. No. That would also go poorly. Sitting at her lunch table was a disaster, so he could not even start there. Maybe he could have asked her to dance at a school function? Okay, that was laughable. She was a difficult person to be in love with.

While he was cleaning the counter, he saw her. Not Katniss—the newest victor slash mayor's daughter. A girl Peeta never saw hanging out with the townie kids when they were children, one who never became a part of the clique as years went by either. Long story short, he had no clue how to talk to her.

"Congratulations," he said to Madge, hiding the towel in a drawer.

"I don't know if that's the right word," she said softly, almost to herself. "But thank you very much," she added in a louder and more direct tone.

"Oh, yeah." Peeta rubbed his sweaty neck then embarrassedly dried his hand off on his apron. "Can I get you anything?"

"Yeah," Madge said, perking up. She seemed thrilled by his simple question. Maybe it was just saving her from more awkward small talk. "I was hoping for one of those little boxes of four cupcakes. With flowers on them, if you can."

"I can." Peeta smiled widely and retrieved four cupcakes. As he frosted them with intricate, colorful flowers, he asked, "For Katniss?"

"I thought you might ask that,' she said, sounding hurt. He instantly felt terrible.

"I'm sorry," he said, then it occurred to him she might know about his crush. "I, uh, why did you think so?"

"Because everyone asks me about the romance that doesn't really exist." She blushed. "It was really just a crush that got so blown out of proportion. I had hoped she'd never know but then I figured I'd die without her knowing and that seemed worse. _And_ I sound like an idiot." She blushed even harder and Peeta felt his cheeks grow hot too. They both averted their eyes. "But they are. They are for Katniss."

"I hope she likes them," he said, making a point to frost the remaining two with primroses. They brought a smile to Madge's rosy lips. Peeta did like making people happy, even if he was jealous.

"I do too," said Madge. She handed him the money and was off on her way.

Peeta sighed wistfully and washed his hands in the sink.

-::-

Madge walked into the Seam without fear. Most of the town kids were terrified of the entire area; they even dared each other to walk over the line. To be honest, Madge had never gone to someone's house here before. Yet, nothing could scare her anymore after the Hunger Games.

The only anxiety was about talking to Katniss for the first time since the Games. Madge just wished things could have gone back to the way they were before. She and her big mouth should not have complicated a perfectly good relationship, but now she had to deal with the fallout.

If she learned anything from the torturous experience, it was that she had to face things head on, no matter how nervous it made her.

The trepidation only increased and increased until she found the right house. Madge walked up the overgrown path and knocked on the door. It opened slightly under the force of her fist and her stomach did a backflip.

Finally, Katniss opened it the rest of the way.

"Hey, Madge," she said, a little uneasily. It was hard to tell with her, but Madge knew it must be awkward for both of them.

Madge just smiled and held up the pretty orange box. "I brought cupcakes."

"I don't need charity from a victor."

"It's not charity!" Madge exasperatedly insisted. "They're to celebrate and I thought maybe I would share them with you and Prim. I don't really have any other friends, now do I?"

Katniss nodded. "I didn't mean to jump down your throat."

"It's no problem," said Madge. "I expected worse."

At least that made the surly girl laugh.


End file.
